Little Princess
by Phylicia13
Summary: What if Mia found out she was a princess a few years earlier? -and only Michael knew? A story about when Mia returns to New York City for high school. R&R loves.
1. Princess?

Author's note: Well here it is: the first chapter. Read and enjoy.—and then review!

Disclaimer: I disclaim all which is not mine. So basically, most everything. : )

….. drum roll …. and on to the story.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

Mia couldn't ignore the world for much longer. The young girl knew without a doubt that anyone crazy enough to be outside on her fire escape must be a Moscovitz.

As she pulled herself out from under the covers, she couldn't help but start to feel a slight bit remorseful of how she had treated Lilly just an hour ago. Why had it only occurred to her a split second after she had yelled that this would be hard on Lilly as well?

Mia shook the thoughts from her head as she began to fumble with the latch on the window. 'It didn't matter anymore,' she thought. 'Now that she's here, we can both apologize.'

"Listen Lilly, I wa-," Mia stated as she opened to window, but was suddenly at a loss for words when it was not the younger Moscovitz outside of her room, but the elder.

"Michael," she breathed, trying to shake off the surprise in her voice as he waited looking rather uncomfortable standing, soaked on her fire escape. Suddenly regaining the use of her tongue, Mia stepped back from the window. "It's raining."

"I like the rain," he said rather simply as he sat down next to the window. Mia seemed to contemplate his last statement before climbing out onto the fire escape herself.

"I like it too," she said positioning herself in front of him.

"Thermopolis, I came here because- well I don't really know why I came here. Lilly came home, and..." he trailed off suddenly very interested in him shoes only to look up once again, his eyes full of concern. "Mia, I've never seen her this upset before."

Hearing Michael's words inspired a new wave of tears threatening to spill out of the child's eyes.

"I don't know what to do, Michael; I don't know. Why did this all have to happen to me? I don't like Genovia, I've never even been there. Why would they even pick someone like me to be their princess?" When she realized she had said the last sentence out loud, and now only in her head as she had intended, Mia's hand flew up over her mouth and the tears began to spill from her eyes.

Michael Moscovitz may have been a little more mature than most, even at age 14, but he had not dealt with much crying. He gently pulled the younger girl into an awkward hug and she sobbed into his shoulder. He let his thoughts drift back to his earlier encounter with Lilly. They may have a weird way of showing it, but each truly did care about the wellbeing of the other.

As the sobs began to calm, Michael's attention was pulled away from his musings. The soft girl he held in his arms began to unfold her story and he listened with ready and willing ears. He didn't interrupt her, or question anything she said, he simply let her talk until she had said anything and everything she wanted.

Mia told Michael everything. She told him of her mysterious father, and her even scarier Grandmere. She finished her story with her feeling on her forced move to Genovia.

"Michael, Lilly's just going to hate me! I can't leave now. We start Jr. High next fall. Jr. High! Do you realize how big of a st..." Mia started, but trailed off quickly when he began to laugh at her. She began to laugh as well when she realized how silly she sounded ranting on about Jr. High so someone who was about to go into his freshman year of high school. "You'll miss me, won't you?" Mia asked, looking up earnestly into his soft, brown eyes.

"Oh silly girl, of course we will!" he answered. "And you know what else?" he asked, pulling her closer and gently tightening his arms around her. "We'll be right here, waiting for our little princess to come back," he whispered. "I will. My Little Princess."


	2. Ramblings

A/N: Ryan Adams! Okay, songfic. Yay.  The lyrics enhance the story, but I GUESS you don't really HAVE to read them… you just should.

Disclaimer: I don't own and never will…

Sad days  
Hanging around  
And you kick the can with the boys  
Run in the park  
Sleep until dark  
And then go out for more.

Lonely days  
I don't give a damn for lonely days  
I know you do, and I can't sweat the change

All you wanted from me was nothing  
And damn, you gave it to me  
Oh, fuck me

God bless the lids on your eyes that you closed when you could have stared  
God bless the fumbling tune you sing to yourself when you're scared  
God bless the week  
God bless the week  
God bless the week you go away

What do you say for yourself?  
You don't know, and you don't care anyhow  
What do you say for yourself?  
You don't know, and you don't care anyhow

God bless the lids on your eyes that you closed when you could have stared  
God bless the fumbling tune you sing to yourself when you're scared  
God bless the week  
God bless the week  
God bless the week you go away

MICHAEL

"Damn it!" I yelled in frustration. Hastily putting away my guitar, apologized to the band and stormed towards the door. I wasn't about to stick around now. I couldn't get my mind off of her. Sure it was her birthday, but seriously. I shouldn't still be stuck on her; still playing the songs I wrote for her. About her. If only I would think when I played, maybe I could steer myself away from thoughts of her. I mean, I have a girlfriend.

Yes, my girlfriend. Emily. Popular. Cheerleader. Pretty. Smart. Well, smart if you can use the term loosely. She could keep up relatively high grades, but she was no where near as intelligent as Mia. DAMN IT! I had walked an entire city block without thinking about her, but then, no, no, no. My subconscious has to get the best of me. Again.

On the surface, it may seem like I'm being unfair to Emily, but I'm really not. Mia's never around. And it's impossible to still be in love with someone who never comes around. Except for Thanksgivings, and maybe a few other times in a year, if we're lucky. Mia is simply a memory to me. Emily is real. Tangible. Emily still lives in New York. She can experience the city with me. And she can make me forget about my little princess, even if just for short periods of time.

Not to say that I yearn after Mia, or that I spend countless hours on the internet researching the Genovian Royal Family, or subscribe to online European tabloids to keep an eye on her. I just happen to think of her at times when I hear great song on the radio. Songs that remind me of her. Or when Emily makes me go see chick flicks with her. Is it such a crime that when the hero gets the heroine in the end, I think of the Princess of Genovia, and not the princess of plastic sitting next to me?

Man, I really am messed up. But it's merely because it's her birthday. Tomorrow is a new day, and everything will be back to normal. No more thoughts of Mia! Yes. That is my new resolution. I'm only allowed to think of Mia on her birthday. And when she is in the city. And Thanksgiving. The last two usually coinciding. Perfect. I'll only think of Mia approximately two times a year: today and Thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving, now those are happy times. With Mia's head case Grandmere paying for Helen Thermopolis to fly to Genovia for Christmas every year, the only holiday that Mia was allowed to celebrate back in the good ol' Big Apple was Thanksgiving. Or, as Grandmere referred to it- 'that stupid American day where everyone competes to see who can eat the most caloric and dreadful foods.'

Each year, Mia would fly in Wednesday morning and spend the next three days with her mother. Then, on the Saturdays, Lilly would drag Mia out of bed at an ungodly hour, and they would tape a special edition of "Lilly Tells It Like It Is." When they would finish, the three of us (and sometimes a few other close friends of Mia's) would grab lunch and head out to do things in different parts of the city. The sun usually set on the Mia and I sitting on the swings in Central Park while Lilly terrorized a handful of the tourists passing though.

The Saturday nights of Mia's stay were always my favorite. We would order food from her favorite Chinese restaurant. Mia has this fetish with chopsticks. She eats EVERYTHING with chopsticks. If you think I'm kidding, you don't know Mia. It drove her Grandmere crazy to the point that she forbid the entire kitchen staff of the palace from allowing Mia to eat with anything that wasn't a fork, spoon, or knife.

While we waited for our food to arrive, Lilly and Mia would argue over which movie they wanted to watch as I sat back and watched them. What can I say? It was amusing. Mia's nosed scrunched up just perfectly when she was fighting with my little sister and it was adorable. When the food finally did arrive, the two would make the delivery boy decide between two or three Molly Ringwald movies and then proceed to watch whichever he suggested.

Sometimes I just don't understand Lilly. We may be related, but we're polar opposites. For one thing, she absolutely cannot stay awake though a movie if she's tired, which is something I am eternally grateful for. Lilly has fallen asleep each year. Sixteen Candles, The Breakfast Club, and Pretty In Pink. She never made it to the end of any of them.

After she had fallen asleep, Mia and I always went off to the kitchen to make more popcorn and just to talk. When she told me of her royalness, Mia had made me swear to never tell a soul. Not even Lilly. She wanted Mia Thermopolis and Amelia Renaldo to be just that, two different people. I was the only person allowed to know because she had slipped, so I was the only person, besides Helen that is, that she could talk about being royal to. And boy did that feel good.

Following our midnight talks, we would settle in on the couch to watch our favorite trilogy- Star Wars- quoting our favorite lines, and keeping up a running commentary throughout the movies. We would usually fall asleep in compromising positions, only to be awoken a few hours later by a screaming Lily and the smell of pancakes.

Our Sunday afternoons were lazy, marked only by a mandatory trip to Serendipity for frozen hot chocolates. She would leave late in the afternoon and I would go back to my pathetic life. Each year I would look forward to the Saturday after the third Thursday in November and then I would dwell on it until the middle December. Sometimes I would talk to Mia online, but not often because of the time difference.

I pondered this as I go off the Metro, and as I walked in the direction of my apartment building, and as I took the elevator up to my floor. I was finally pulled out of my reverie by a girl who looked about Lilly's age standing, looking nervous, outside of our door.

As I walked closer, the girl's figure became clearer. She stood about 5'8". She had longish auburn hair cascading down her shoulders. She was built in a similar way to a certain princess I know. NO MORE THINKING ABOUT MIA! Okay, back to the girl. She was wearing torn and tattered jeans (very un-princessy) and a black pea coat (once again, very un-Genovian, but perfectly New Yorker). She looked as if she was debating whether or not to knock on the door, so I decided to have some fun and make the decision much easier for her.

"Can I he-" I began but my words tripped over my tongue when the girl spun around quickly and turned out to be none other than my (very astonished) Amelia Mignonette Thermopolis Grimaldi Renaldo.

A/N: R&R loves! And muchas gracias to my already reviewers! You rock. Seriously.


	3. Family Emergencies

A/N: Sorry this took so long, life is crazy. From now on this story is pretty much gonna be a story/ half Ryan Adams songfic. It'll be cool I promise.

MIA

Here I am. In front of the door. But I can't bring myself to open it. The last few years have been unbearable, living in Genovia; not being able to spend time with two of my best friends in this apartment, in this city. It's sad really. I've spent maybe six days in the last four years in this house, when growing up I practically lived here. I feel like a stranger standing on this doorstep. I even had to spend twenty minutes persuading the doorman to let me into the building!

I must have looked rather silly, bundled up in a pea coat near the end of spring. I hadn't had time to ditch the coat, having been back in New York for only a few hours. I was just reaching for the doorknob when I a voiced behind me caused me to jump and whirl around all at the same time. This was not a smart move; my shock and attempted ballet maneuver had caused me to lose my balance and trip over my own feet right into the arms of….

MICHAEL

There was no mistaking it. My Mia was standing right in front of me. My Mia! Well, not MY Mia, but Mia nonetheless. Amelia Mignonette Thermopolis Grimaldi Renaldo. The sound of another voice had caused her to stumble, in a typical unprincessy Thermopolis manner, and before I knew what I was doing, I had reached my arms to resteady her. My resolution forgotten, I pulled Mia into a tight hug, it had after all, been almost half a year since I had seen her.

"Michael! Oh, Michael. It's so good to see you!" I reluctantly let the princess out of my arms and let my eyes wander all over the girl I still could not believe was standing in front of me.

"What on earth are you wearing?" I asked, laughing at her. She stood before me, looking ready to battle the forces of nature in her winter coat. Was it really that cold in Genovia? Had she forgotten the weather of New York? Had she forgotten her friends? A look of realization flashed across her face, and then she gracefully shrugged off the heavy coat, revealing the fact that under it she was only wearing a tank top printed with hundreds of tiny cartoon whales. Always the same Mia.

"I was cold on the plane," she explained. "When I left the palace in Genovia, I was perfectly comfortable, but I had forgotten how terribly cold air conditioning on airplanes can be! I think they, and they meaning Grandmere, were trying to freeze me! To punish me for dressing to "un-princess-like." Imagine, the nerve of that woman! All I had was this coat. I couldn't fit it in my suitcase so I had carried it onto the plane with me, not intending to use it of course…" Mia realized that she had been randomly and quickly shut her mouth. In the dim light of the hallway, I could still tell that she was blushing.

Smiling in spite of the mood I had been in not half an hour before, I assured her that I was alright, and opened the door of the apartment for her. Hesitantly, she stepped in and I followed. The sound of Lilly sneering into the phone greeted us, and I motioned for Mia to stay quiet and remain where she was while I approached Lilly in the other room.

"NO. He's not here right now," Lilly said into the phone, sounding annoyed and enunciating as if she were talking to a very small child. "I do not know where he is every waking moment of every day, you're the one who is supposed to be his—," but she stopped her words short when she saw me. Shoving the phone into my hands she mouthed the word 'Emily' and turned to leave, but I grabbed her wrist.

"Sorry, darling, I can't talk right now. We've sort of got a little family emergency." At these words, Lilly raised an eyebrow suspiciously and stopped attempting to free her arm from my grasp. "Yes, I will see you tomorrow night. Now, I have to go." As soon as I had put down the receiver, my oh so sweet little sister had begun to bombard me with questions.

"Family emergency, Michael? What's going on? You know very well Mom and Dad are visiting their parents this weekend. What can you know that I don't? You've been gone all night!" Even though I hated to admit it, Lilly was rather clever. It was a Friday night, my parents were out of town, and I didn't want to hang out with my girlfriend. I was a teenage boy, almost done with his junior year of high school and I wasn't even exciting enough to throw a party. Lilly stood in front of me, tapping her foot in annoyance, not even blinking an eye at my use of the word 'emergency.'

"Lilly, if you must know, the emergency is waiting awkwardly behind you," I said with a smile. Mia had crept her way into the hall, remaining unnoticed by Lilly. Princess Lessons (or the last few years living in a gigantic echoing castle) must have taught her how to walk quietly. Hardly anyone could creep up on a Moscovitz.

At my words, Lilly spun around in very much of the same manner that Mia had earlier, and, much to my displeasure, screamed. Words began flying as the two embraced and attempted to both talk at lightspeed, and at the same time. I decided to give the two best friends some alone time. I knew that as happy as I was to see Mia, Lilly was probably twice as happy, having had her best friend on the other side of the world for most of the last few preteen years. I caught Mia's eye and smiled before retreating to my room. Perhaps this was the perfect time to have a good heart to heart with my guitar. If I knew these two girls at all, I knew that they would be up for the rest of the night, and that maybe, in a few hours, I could have Mia to myself so we could catch up.


End file.
